1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a break-down sofa having a frame that is adapted to be disassembled to facilitate transport and storage in a substantially flat shipping configuration. The sofa frame may be easily reassembled by the purchaser for use at its final destination.
2. Background Art
Large pieces of furniture, such as chairs, sofas, and the like, are typically shipped from a location of manufacture to a location of distribution to a location of sale to the public. The large and bulky natures of these articles contribute to the purchase price paid by consumers. That is to say, as a consequence of their space-consuming size, relatively large shipping vessels are required to move the furniture from place-to-place. Moreover, relatively large storage facilities are necessary to accommodate the furniture while in transit from location-to-location. Unlike smaller articles that are capable of being transported and stored in compact shipping containers, larger pieces of furniture are often not suitable to be palatized. In addition, more than one workman may be necessary to handle the loading and transport of the furniture from its initial point of manufacture to its final point of sale. In this same regard, purchasers may not be able to easily lift and carry their furniture from the location of purchase to the location of use.
Accordingly, what would be desirable is a means to enable typically large and bulky articles of furniture to be shipped, stored and carried home in one or more space-efficient and generally flat shipping containers that are adapted to be palatized, handled by a limited number of workmen while in route, and easily moved by the purchaser, whereby to reduce the cost and inconvenience normally associated with transport of the furniture from manufacture to use.